Apparatus for attaching pouring spouts to cans



Nov. 6, 1934.

G. W. CHALMERS APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CANS Filed July 13. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l Greg/ye [Za/72ers G. W. CHALM ERS APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO GANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 6, `1934.

Filed July 13. 1952 V 9? gaga @0r e wfg/m3 Nov. 6, 1934.

G. W. CHALMERS APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CANS Filed July 13. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 6, 1934.

G. W. CHALM ERS APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CANS Filed July 13, 1952 4- Sheets-Sheet 4 M. firm;

logge Za/72ers V @www Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CAN S `Application July 13, 1932, Serial No. 622,230

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for securing together two intertting cuplike ysheet metal bodies and -particularly to machines for attaching pouring spouts to cans.

5 One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and effective mechanism for securing pouring spout structures to cans by expanding the cup shaped or lower portions of the spouts into rigid engagement with recessed portions of the cans, preferably to separate seat forming members which are crimped or otherwise secured in openings in the heads of the cans.

Other and more specific objects will readily appear from the detailed description of the construction and operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View of the upper part of the machine showing, in elevation, the can and its pouring spout to be operated upon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an inverted sectional plan View on line 3-3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the sectional die members for eiecting the engagement of the spout member with the seat member.

Fig. 5 is a front view in elevation of the machine with certain parts, unessential to the purpose of this gure, broken away.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the sectional die, its actuating plunger and parts of the can structure, with the die in the spout cup but unexpanded.

Fig. 7 is a similar view on a still larger scale illustrating the die and plungerV in theirnal operative position.

- Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the gauge for'properly positioning the can under the-die plunger and for insuring correct angular relationship of the spout with the can.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the gauge.

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan View on line 10-10 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the can and spout structure.

Referring first to Fig. 11, 10 designates the side wall of a can, and 11 the top of the can formed with an opening surrounded by an upstanding iiange l2. The cup-shaped seat member 13 is beaded or crimped to the edge of the flange 12 as indicated at 14. 15 is a pouring spout formed with a cup-shaped portion 16, the bottom 17 of which is preferably formed with liquid outlet and air inlet openings 18. 'Ihe spout is rigidly secured to the seat 13 by a plurality of arcuate oifsets 19 at the bend between the bottom of the spout and the side wall or ange of the cup 16. The offsetting of the inner cup member 16 involves similar offsets 20 in the outer cup or seat member 13. If desired, the cup portion of the spout may be coated with a suitable seaming compound, of

[the character commonly used in the can making art for the purpose of preventing leakage at seams; this expedient being desirable particularly when the receptacle is used for liquids having high capillary power such as oil. When the contents of the can are to be used, holes are punched in the seat member 13, below the openings 18 in the spout member.

The machine disclosed herein is intended to effect a rigid and non-rotatable engagement of the spout with the seat by formation of the oisets 19, 20. 21 designates a framework supporting a table 22 on which the can designated A is placed with 'the spout member 15 fitted into the seat member. The can, in other words, is ready for the permanent engagement to be made between the spout and its seat. Secured to the table and extending through an opening therein is a cylindrical guide 23 through which extends an adjusting screw 24, slotted at 25 and provided with ears 26 for a clamping screw 27. Engaged with the screw 24 is an adjusting nut 28 provided for convenience with a handwheel 29, the nut being formed with a circumferential groove 30 engaged by the ends of angular keepers 31 secured by cap screws 32 to the guide 23 and a washer 33 being interposed between the adjusting nut and the upper end of the stationary guide 23. Secured by set screw 34a to the upper end of screw member 24 is an angular bracket 34 terminating in a cylindrical sleeve 35 through which extends the upper section 36 of a two part plunger, the low`er section 37 of which a threaded connection at 38 with the upper section, the parts being held in rigid relation by a nut 39 on the lower plunger section which bears against a head 40 on the lower end of the upper section. Slidably arranged on the lower plunger section 37 is a cylindrical die carrier 41 provided with a stop screw 42, the end of which projects into a longitudinal slot 43 in the proper position, the over all length of the whole plunger may be adjusted.

The tool for producing the offsets 1 9, 20 in the cup members consists of a plurality of die members 50 (Fig. 4) which together form a hollow cylinder, when in idle position, around the lower conical end 51 of the lower plunger section 37. The die sections are formed with rounded ribs 52 at their upper ends, adapted to fit an interior groove 53 in the lower end of the die carrier 41, the grooved portion being cut away to form a gap to admit the die sections, which gap is closed by an interiorly grooving block 54 held in place by screw 55 (Fig. 6). 'I'he pendant die members are provided with internal conical wedge faces 56 adapted to be engaged by the conical end 51 of the plunger, and so to be spread apart. The said wedge faces of the die members are inclined relative to the conical end of the plunger so that the lower end of the plunger comes into engagement with the said wedge surfaces near the lower ends of the die members. Such construction of the plunger and wedge surfaces of the die members avoids exerting any substantial downward pressure on the ldie members and thereby minimizes the amount of pressure required to produce the expanding operation. When the plunger is withdrawn, the die sections are retracted by a circular coiled spring 57 seated in a groove 58. The die sections are formed at their lower outer edges with preferably arcuate projections 59 which produce the osets 19, 20 in the parts of the spout structure.

The mechanism for imparting reciprocating movements to the plunger 36-37 is preferably constructed as follows: 60 is an air cylinder pivoted at 61 to the table 22 and provided with a piston 62 on the end of a. rod 63 which projects through the upper head 64 of the cylinder, a suitable stung box being provided as indicated at 65. The rod 63 is provided with a collar 66 between which and the stung box gland 67 is arranged a compressed spring 68 which retracts the piston 62 to its normal or upper position when the air pressure, that enters the cylinder at 69, is relieved. A flexible tube 70 connects the cylinder, at port 69, with a valve comprising a valve body 71 which extends through a casing 72 provided with an air inlet port 73, to which the air supply pipe 74 leads, and an exhaust port 75, the valve body being formed with a port 76 adapted to register with ports 73, respectively, in accordance with the position of the valve body in the casing. The upper end of the valve body is provided with a collar ,77 between which and casing 72 is arranged a coiled spring 78. The lower end 79 of the valve body is connected by means of a link 80 with a foot treadle 81 pivoted to a. bracket 82 on the floor under the machine. Valve casing 72 is secured by means of a bracket 82 to one of the legs 83 of the supporting framework of the machine.

A bellcrank 84 is pivoted at 85 to a web 86 forming part of the bracket 34. One arm 87 of the bellcrank is pivoted at 88 to a collar` 89 adjustably secured by set screw 90 to the upper end of the piston rod 63. The forked end 91 of the bellcrank is connected by links 92 to a toggle mechanism which operates upon a thrust collar 93 secured by set screw 93a to the lower end of the upper section 36 of the operating plunger against the head 40. This toggle mechanism consists of a pair of upper links 94, pivoted at 95 to the guide 35 on bracket 34, and a pair of angular lower links 96 pivoted to the upper links at 97, to the links 92 at 98 and to the thrust collar 93 at 99.

A gauge structure 100 is provided for properly positioning the can under the die and plunger and for giving the spout the correct angular position on the can; the purpose being to have the spout pointing toward one of the corners of the can and extending within a short distance of the corner so that in emptying the can the liquid will pour over the corner of the can, while at the same time the spout will not project over the edge of the can so as to interfere with the boxing or crating of the cans. The gauge structure comprises a plate 101 secured to the table 22 by bolts 102, the plate being formed with an angular recess 103 into which a corner of the can ts; up-rights 104, 104 on plate 101 support an angular bar 105 for the upper portion edges of the can. On this bar is a block 106 formed with a notch 107 into which fits the spout of the can.

The gauge structure is made detachable from the table, and gauges are provided for the different sizes of cans operated upon by the machine.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

A can A is placed on the table 22 in the gauge with the spoutl member in place in the seat member with its spout portion at the proper angle and with the spout member and seat in correct alignment with the die on plunger 36-37. The foot treadle is then depressed bringing port 76 of valve 71 into register with the air inlet port 73. The air pressure on the upper side of piston 62 depresses the piston, and its rod 63 rocks the bellcrank 84 and consequently partially straightens out the toggle mechanism 94, 96, (stop nut 47 preventing the toggle mechanism from exing past centers) thus forcing the thrust collar 93 down against the head 40 so as to depress the plunger 36, 37. When the lower end of the sectional die reaches the bottom of the portion 16 of the spout member (Fig. 6). the die is stopped by engagement of the anged upper end of the die carrier with the upper surface of the guide 44, but the plunger continues to move downwardly because of the slotted connection at 42, 43, and the conical end 51 of the plunger bearing against the wedge surfaces 56 on the die sections causes the die to expand, forcing the ribs 59 into the bend between the bottom 17 of the spout member and the upstanding flange portion 16 thereof (Fig. 7) so as to form the offsets 19, 20 which are discontinuous,

n and, therefore, not only effect an engagement of the spout with its seat but also prevent the spout from being turned in the seat.

In order to adjust the machine for different sized cans, the clamping lugs 26 are released and the handwheel 29 turned to raise or lower the screw 24. The connections between the air-cylinder piston and the thrust collar 93 on plunger 36-37 may be correspondingly adjusted by moving the collar 89 onv piston rod 63. The length of the plunger 36, 37 may be adjusted by revolving the uppersection 36 on the screw threaded connection 38 on the lower section.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for securing together two intertting cup-like sheet metal bodies comprising pendant dies provided with groove forming ribs, a plunger for imparting raising and lowering movements to said dies and for spreading them to force the ribs into the metal of the inner of said cup-like bodies, means for providing a lost motion connection between said dies and plunger, means for operating said plunger to lower said dies into contact with the bottom of the inner cup member, and means separate from said cup for limiting the downward movement of said dies, where- I motor for by further movement oi the.plunger imparts spreading movement to the dies.

v 2. Apparatus for securing` together two inter-'- Y io iitting cup-like sheet metal'bodies comprising the combination of a reciprocating plunger, ,al

springl pressed die carrier. connected to said plunger so as to beraisedand lowered by the movements thereof and having capacity for limitecly longitudinalmovement on the plunger, die sections pivotally arranged on said carrier provided externally with groove formingv oilsets and internally with wedge faces, a wedging member on said plungerY for spreading said die sections,

means comprising a toggle mechanism for im'-v parting reciprocating movements tothe plunger,

andstop means separate from the sheet metal bodies operated onior limiting the movement of said dies in a direction toward said sheet metal-V 3. Apparatus for together two interiltting cup-like sheet .metal bodies comprising v-the combination :of a vreciprocating plunger, a

spring pressed die carrier carried by said plunger and having ,capacity for limited longitudinal movement on the plunger, diesections pivotally Aarranged on said carrier provided externally with groove forming oisets and internally with'wedge faces, a wed'ging member on said plunger for spreading said 'die sections, avmechanism comprising a toggle mechanism, anda pneumatic imparting reciprocating Amovements to the plunger. v

4. Apparatus' for securing together two interiitting cup-like-f sheet metalv bodies comprising thecombination of @reciprocating plunger, a springf'pressed die carrier having capacity vfor limited longitudinal movement on the plunger,

die sections pivotally arranged on VsaidA carrier provided externally withgroove forming offsets jfor supporting the plunger, an adjusting nut` on the screw-which bears on said guide, and means- "a spring pressed die carrier'having capacity for limited-longitudinal movement on the plunger, die sections pivotally Aarranged onsaid carrier and internally with wedge faces, a :wedging member 'on said plunger for spreading said'die sections, a table for supporting 'a receptacle, a cy-l lindrical guide on said table, an adjusting screw in'said guide, a bracket secured to said screw engaging the nut with the guide yto prevent longi- -tudinalmovement of the nut.

l6. `In apparatus of the characterdescribedthe 100 jy combination'vof a table to support a receptacle, a'cyiindrical guide on said table, an adjusting screw'in 'said' guide, an adjusting lnut-,on said screw, a bracket secured to said screw, a reciprocating plunger carried by said bracket, a, die 1355 K carrier having limited longitudinal movement on the plunger,`a plurality of pendant dies on said carrier adapted to be. spread by movement of the'. plunger in respect tothe dies, a toggle meehanism for lowering and raising-they plunger, and 110 a kpneumatic motor for operating the toggley GEORGE W. C I-IALMERS. 

